Crimson Eyes
by hebi ryuusei
Summary: Itachi was the kid everyone loved while Anko's the loud mouthed student of the Snake Sannin who seemed to have very few in her life. At first, they appear incompatible. When Kakashi is thrown in the mix, emotions linger in the air. ItaAnkoKaka with FIRE
1. First Encounter

**Crimson Eyes **

_This is the first story which I have written in a while, so I'd appreciate some opinions! Inspired by my lovely Kelley-chan. I LOVE YOU TO DEATH KELLEY! Also to dear sharanganK, you've also inspired me to get back into writing with all your fics and drabbles! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH TOO!  
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_**Disclaimer:** Mitarashi Anko, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke and Orochimaru are all characters created by Masashi Kishimoto. I don't own them (although I wish I did!) _

_**Warning: **There's a little profanity.. not much yet but yea... it's still there >>_

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**First Encounter **

Everyone just loved him. He was just so perfect in every way: his dark ebony hair, his deep dark eyes, and when he smiled it was like a precious gem. All the girls in the class loved him, the teachers loved him. He was the eldest son of the police chief in Konoha and a prodigy: Uchiha Itachi.

The Uchiha genius graduated from the Academy at the young age of 7 and gained Sharingan at the age of 8. He was the pride of the clan and the thief of many hearts. Including a young girl named Mitarashi Anko.

Sure, she was about 6 years older than he was, but it was still hard not to notice the young prodigy, especially when he became ANBU captain. Anko had co-operated with him on missions beforehand when he was first promoted to Chuunin, and her sensei seemed very interested in the Uchiha boy.

"Go befriend him Anko, it seems like he could use a friend," Orochimaru said to her with his usual sly smile just as she found out that she was assigned on a mission with Uchiha Itachi by Sandaime-sama to help a few or their own shinobi escape from being kept hostage.

Anko eyed him curiously for a moment then laughed sarcastically. "Why would I want to be friends with a brat for sensei?" she said haughtily, concealing her feelings inside a smirk.

"You feel something for that boy, do you not?" the pale man merely replied, his eyes dancing with enjoyment.

The young girl of 16 glared at him, just before she stormed off leaving her beloved sensei beside the Forest of Death.

_What the hell does that bastard know anyway, _Anko thought to herself as she angrily trudged around Konoha. _He better not mean what I think he means. For fucks sake he's only a 10 year old brat!_

Before she knew it, she had landed on the floor with a young dark haired boy in front of her.

"Hey, brat, watch where your going will ya?" she scowled as they both rose to their feet.

"Why don't YOU look where your going, obaa-san?" the child retorted, as he brushed the dirt off his dark blue shorts.

"What did you just call me?" Anko nearly screeched in anger, with her fists clutched up, shaking with excitement.

"O-baa-san," chirping each syllable with a menacing voice, enough to rival a cheetah.

"WHY YOU FUCKING LITTLE BRAT!" She screamed as she grabbed him by the collar and went in for a punch.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said with a smile on his face. As he dodged the punch successfully, his eyes bored in Anko's, turning a crimson red, with three other pupils rotating slowly at first.

Instantly, Anko dropped him to the ground, with her eyes as sharp as kunai, facing the Uchiha boy.

"Scared of a brat are we?" As he laughed, Anko gave him a kick straight to his stomach, catching him off guard for few seconds.

"Who would be scared of you, _Uchiha Itachi,_" she replied in a sinister way, with her eyes narrowing further at the child.

"My my, your reputation proceeds you, Mitarashi Anko-san."

"Reputation?" she questioned, trying to control her anger. "What reputation in hell are you talking about?"

"Your pure insolence, that's what." Itachi smiled at her with a look of innocence as he turned around and walked away slowly.

"I look forward to working with you," the young Uchiha boy said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

"I can't wait to strangle you," Anko muttered under her breath, as she walked to the nearest ho-ho stand to try and cheer herself up.

_How can people like a brat like that?_

That was a meeting she'd never forget.

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Mitarashi Anko was known to be the apprentice of the Snake Sannin of Konoha. She was loud, straightforward and often seen as rude. Even though she wasn't the most loved in Konohakagure, Itachi still envied her. No one had such high expectations of her; she didn't have a bunch of people ogling at her every time she walked past. Anko didn't have to hide behind a shadow.

Itachi did

She could be herself everyday, do whatever she wanted and be_ free_. She had everything that Itachi wished for. If he acted like the way he did just now to anyone else, the word would go straight to his parents, in which then his father would be awaiting his return with a bamboo stick and a long lecture to follow.

Didn't anyone understand that he was _sick _of the attention? He didn't ask to be a prodigy, nor did he ask for everyone else to love him so much. All Itachi wanted was to be a normal kid, who could run around, be cheeky and have fun at his own expense

But from the moment he stepped into the Academy, he was denied all that, just because he excelled in everything that they offered him there.

He couldn't help being a _genius,_ and it's not like he enjoyed it either

_Why can't people see me for who I am and not for what I can do? Why can't I just be free like everyone else? I hate being seen as the "Uchiha Prodigy", no one recognizes me for the person I am. I'm just a child, so why can't they let me act like one? That's all I want… all that I really need._

Thoughts began to plague on the young Uchiha's mind. He hated dwelling on these feelings as well. So, to clear his mind, he headed to the woods where he usually practiced his shuriken throwing skills. Maybe throwing a bunch of things around would help him forget those useless thoughts.

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Metal colliding loudly against the wooden targets always seemed to sooth Itachi. The process did as well, aiming and then applying force which would send the object flying, whether it was kunai, shuriken or any other object; it always gave him satisfaction inside. Itachi came here daily, to free himself from the stress which everyone placed upon him. He trained until sunset, then would pack up and head home 

Tonight was no exception, especially since he had to leave for that mission tomorrow.

So after he had collected all his shuriken, the Uchiha boy headed home, often gazing up in the sky as beautiful colours such as orange, pink and purple merged together in one work of art known as the sunset

Itachi loved it best when there was mainly purple in the sky for some strange reason. He thought it looked stunning.

Finally, he had reached home. He slid open the rice paper door and slipped out of his shoes

"I'm home!"

"Welcome back dear," his mother greeted as usual with her soft and warm smile.

"Nii-chan?" a small voice chirped from a distance.

Itachi walked over to his 4 year old brother and gave him a smile. "I'm home," he said to the young child with a smile on his face

"Welcome home nii-chan!" Sasuke said happily, wrapping his arms around Itachi's leg, smiling up at his big brother.

Itachi scooped down and picked up his little brother. They were almost splitting images of each other. If it weren't for the age difference, it would be most likely that they would be mistaken for twins

Sasuke wrapped his arms around Itachi's neck and gave him a tight hug.

"Did nii-chan have a good day?" the young one asked sincerely. Itachi just smiled back with gave him a light flick on the forehead

Instantly, Sasuke's grin turned upside down, transforming into a frown.

"That hurt nii-chan," Sasuke sulked

Itachi laughed softly and placed him back down on the floor.

"If you can't handle that dear brother, how are you ever going to become a great shinobi? We have to deal with more pain than that."

For a moment, it seemed as Sasuke went and contemplated on that last comment. Then with no warning, Sasuke gave an outburst.

"One day nii-chan, I'll be a great shinobi just like you! I'll master Sharingan and be the smartest in my class! I'll live up to the Uchiha name just as nii-chan did!"

_No, Sasuke, you don't really want that, do you?_ Itachi thought as he gave a small forced smile to the beaming child. _Trust me; you don't want a bunch of people falling over you. It's damn annoying. Even though everyone loves you, you're really just a loner, because you don't fit in with the rest because they see you as something better…_

Before he became completely lost for his thoughts, Itachi headed up to his room.

"Call me when dinner's ready Okaa-san, I'm going to start packing for my mission tomorrow."

"Yes dear!" she replied, as Itachi climbed up the stairs.

_I can't believe I have to spend a week, with **her.**_


	2. The Mission

**The Mission**

_Sorry for taking so long to update everyone! I didn't realize school would have such a hold on me x.x To be expected of Year 12 though! But finally I bring you the second chapter! I was running low on ideas for a bit (grrr .. I hate writer's blocks ). Feel free to make suggestions for chapters though! D And THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! 3 Sorry to have kept you guys waiting. Keep reviewing! Reviews make me happy 3  
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_**Disclaimer**: I do not own Uchiha Itachi, Mitarashi Anko, Hatake Kakashi or any of the characters from the Naruto anime… Masashi Kishimoto has dibs on them (one day… I'll buy them off him!)_

The two shinobi waited by the gates of Konoha, with Anko trying to ignore the Uchiha boy to the best of her ability. Although she had managed for the first ten minutes of waiting, she couldn't stand anymore after that.

"Hey baa-san! Stop ignoring me! Are you really that annoyed?" Itachi taunted haughtily.

Frustration became more apparent on Anko's face as each second passed, yet she continued to try and ignore the young child with every ounce of energy that remained.

It didn't last long.

"You fucking brat! Can't you tell when someone wants to be left alone?" the snake apprentice roared, giving the Uchiha boy a sense of satisfaction.

"Mitarashi-san, you gave up way too early. Honestly, I thought you were beyond these childish pranks."

There was nothing more than Anko wanted to do than to super fly kick Uchiha Itachi all the way to the Country of Wind and leave him in the desert with no way home. Unfortunately, she couldn't. Instead she grit her teeth in frustration and glared at the child.

"I hate you," she spat, venom dripping in each syllable.

"Awww, that's not very nice Mitarashi-san." Itachi pouted, putting on another act of innocence. His hands were in his pockets as he shifted the dirt around with his open-toed sandals.

_I don't care if it's nice or not,_ Anko though to herself. _It's gonna take all that I have not to injure you during this damned mission._

Finally, their third team mate had finally arrived. With his masked face with his forehead protector draped over his left eye, he radiated a somewhat mysterious aura. He was well known in Konoha Sato, with a reputation worthy to succeed the "White Fang". His name: Hatake Kakashi.

He approached Anko and Itachi with a friendly smile hidden beneath his mask.

"Yo," he greeted with a hand raised in the air.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Neither of the two changed their attitude with the arrival of their third team mate. They remained unwilling to co-operate with one another. The atmosphere was heavy between the two young ninja.

Anko and Itachi stood several feet away from each other, not speaking a word to each other. Instead, they both glared at one another, causing discomfort among their third team member.

"Errr… are you two alright?" the silver haired shinobi asked the two.

"Yeah we're fine," they replied in unison. After realizing that they answered at the same time, the two glared at each other intensely as if they were trying to assassinate each other through eye contact.

Their third team-mate eyed them curiously once again, sighing after realization that this mission would be harder than it seemed.

"Well, just to remind you two again, we three were selected as a team since most of the Jounin are out on other missions, they paired my up with you two, since you are both the most outstanding chuunin left."

_And to my misfortune, that little brat had to be one of the top three left… _Anko thought, as she nodded to show she comprehended what the masked, silver haired teenage boy said. _Ah well, at least I have a spunky guy to calm my nerves during the mission. _She looked at her team mate up and down approvingly. Who would have thought that she would get to work with the highly adored Hatake Kakashi?

"You do know what our mission objective is, right?" he asked them both, with a slight look of concern on his face.

"You might have to explain it to the kid again though," Anko said crudely. "He's just a kid after all,"

"Don't go underestimating me you old hag!" Itachi spat, glaring at the back of Anko's head as she turned around. Kakashi looked at them both and scratched his head, and went on to explain their mission anyway.

"The mission assigned to us is to fin out information about a small group who call themselves 'Akatsuki'. They seemed to made of various missing-nin from various villages. We don't know what their objectives are but they are seen as a large threat for the safety and well being of other nins." The masked shounen paused briefly and looked at the two. "You guys got it?"

"Yeah, I got ya," Anko answered, as she put on her cream coloured backpack and started walking towards the gate.

"You might have to repeat it for her later though Hatake-san. Old ladies tend to forget things," Itachi chirped cheekily, loud enough for Anko to hear. After that he put on his own backpack and headed out as well with Kakashi following them from behind.

"By the way, I was appointed team leader for this mission," Kakashi spoke up while following them from behind. "So, unfortunately for you two, that means you two have to listen to me."

Anko and Itachi continued to walk ahead without a word escaping from their pursed lips.

"My first order for this mission is that you two don't quarrel. We're working as a team, and that means that we all need to work together. This is a one-man mission."

The two continued to walk in silence. With a final sigh, Kakashi shook his head and walked along in silence.

After a few days of travelling, the team finally arrived at their desired location. They hid themselves amongst the trees. The teenage Kakashi felt as if he had been babysitting the pair of them for a month. Although Itachi was barely a teenager, he expected him to be more mature. Secretly, he saw Itachi as his Uchiha replica: a young prodigy naturally blessed with talent and mastering sharingan at the age of 8. Kakashi briefly caressed his forehead protector which was hiding the last gift of his friend, and turned to see the two arguing once again.

"Shut up you fucking little brat! We're meant to follow Kakashi-san's orders here, not do whatever you like. He's the jounin around here after all!"

_Mitarashi Anko, _Kakashi repeated her name inside his head. Undeniably, she was a beautiful young girl. There was only an age gap of two years between them. He couldn't deny that he found her attractive in more ways than one. Despite her constant cursing, she was a strong and independent girl. He liked that about her. Kakashi only wished that she'd stop arguing with the Uchiha and pay a little more attention to him.

"What makes you think I was going to go against his orders you old hag! Why don't you learn to control your foul mouth and focus for a change?" Itachi argued back, fuelling the fire.

"Ok you two, that's enough! We're here to gather about an organization that goes by the name 'Akatsuki". Don't underestimate them! One wrong move and we can be dead within seconds." Kakashi instructed them to go to separate listening posts around the area.

There weren't many of them of them around. There was only a pair of shinobi dressed in black cloaks with red clouds patterned across it. They didn't look so dangerous from where Itachi was standing. Their faces were hidden beneath large cone shaped hats.

_Don't let my guard down ey?_ He thought to himself. _How tough can they be? They haven't even noticed we're he-_

"LET ME GO!" Anko screamed, as one of the cloaked ninja appeared behind her suddenly.

"ANKO!" Itachi yelled and chased after her, ignoring Kakashi's order's to stay behind. Within seconds, the four had vanished from sight.

"DAMN IT!" Kakashi screamed throughout the forest. _How the hell did I let this happen?_

Without wasting another second, the lone shinobi summoned a few of his companions, including a small dog named Pakkun.

"Pick up their scent and take me to them, Pakkun."


	3. Revealed Secrets

**Crimson Eyes – Chapter 3**

_Once again, a **big** thank you to all my reviewers! You guys make me smile Not to mention you all inspire me to write more! I'm sorry I'm such a slow updater I need to find a way to use my time more efficiently xx  
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_Oooh ooh guess what! My story is going to be added into a C2 for rare pairings! Thank you to Backlash Symphony for doing so! D You really made my day._

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi (although I wish I did D) nor Mitarashi Anko or the Akatsuki. Maybe one day... when I take over the internet._

**Revealed Secrets**

"LET GO OF ME ASSHOLE!" Anko had no intention of remaining silent. Who the hell would expect her to? She was just grabbed by two weird men, wearing purple nail polish dressed in robes with red clouds printed upon it.

"You just hurt my feelings lil lady," the one holding her responded. She couldn't see his face clearly, with the sun glaring into her eyes. It was all too convenient for them.

Just as she was about to retort back, she felt an immense pressure around her throat. Before her body could even register the pain, her world was overcome by a sudden darkness.

Not too far behind them was the Uchiha prodigy. With each step and passing second, he seemed to be gaining on the two mysterious men. '_I can't believe that hag let her guard down!'_ he thought to himself, as two small black figures came into sight. One of them seemed to be carrying someone in their arms. Itachi focused a little more on the subject in the enemy's arms. It didn't take him long to figure out who it was.

'_Why isn't she fighting! It's almost as if she wanted to be captured!'_ His mind slowly clouded, causing him to slow down slightly in speed. Although he didn't lose much momentum, it was enough to allow the two nail polish-wearing freaks to get ahead. It wasn't until that they disappeared from sight that he put two and two together. _'She's unconscious...'_ Once that fact has registered, Uchiha Itachi was fuming. It was as if someone had fanned the Uchiha flame to burn brighter than before, _'I'll get you back, I promise.'_

Itachi continued to pursue, completely forgetting his missions and his other team-mate: Hatake Kakashi. Right now, his only priority was to beat the living daylights out of the two freaks and retrieve Anko. As much as he hated her, he couldn't stand the thought of her being taken away either. His feelings during the chase seemed to defy all logic about hate and love. The Uchiha felt absolutely no affection towards Orochimaru's student, yet he didn't want her to be taken away in such a pathetic way. It would mean that she was literally snatched away.

'_What the hell are you thinking about boy?'_ a voice inside him stirred. Itachi shook his head in frustration and tried to concentrate on the chase, but it didn't stop the little voice inside. _'Stop lying to yourself. You two may scream at each other all day long but in the end, who is the person you can completely honest with? That's right, "her".'_ Itachi was trying to come into terms with this whole new sensation stirring inside of him. The harder he tried to focus, the more he seemed to go into a daze. How can your view of a person totally change in a few minutes? The answer was simple: if the situation is dire and you had an emotional attachment to them since the beginning, feelings can be easily swayed.

This was reality. Itachi was young and didn't have many close friends. In fact, he only considered one person to be his friend: Shisui. The pair was like brothers and treated each other like family, including the little idiotic fights and whatnot. Itachi was still a kid, but he was growing up like every other kid. Being a shinobi demanded a faster growth rate of maturity. He could not keep up the charade of the little brat in front of her much longer, as he didn't want to drive her away completely. He needed her to be there and be brutally honest with him in every situation, not to sugar-coat every little excuse, action or problem she had with him. _I will get you back no matter what Anko._ His 5targets were gaining a bit more speed, and so he hastened himself to make up for lost ground.

The two men knew they weren't alone, with three pursuers on their tale, all at varying distances. One of them however, was within a fifty metre radius, and most likely had the pair and hostage in sight. They didn't bother looking back – they had no use for the boy. The girl on the other hand, had grabbed their attention from the moment they sensed her presence. There was something about her that intrigued the two men, enough to abandon their original mission and take off with her instead.

"You do realize we're gonna get our asses kicked for this, right?" The mysterious man stared at their bounty, thinking of all the fun things he could do. He could slice up that pretty skin of hers and her scream as she bled slowly, with the fine red liquid seeping from her creamy complexion.

"Yeah, I know, and don't you get any funny ideas about this girl!" While he carried Anko, he could feel his partner's sadistic eyes on the girl. "She could hold valuable information about Konoha which we could use to our advantage. With it being the strongest village at the moment, nothing like a little destruction would liven up the place."

"How did you know she was from Konoha?"

"Are you stupid?" He shifted the young girl's forehead protector slightly, just enough to show the symbol it had engraved to his friend.

"Oh, ok."

As their conversation came to a halt, they realized that they had been mistaken about the number of pursuers. Although that had sensed three behind them, there were several others travelling around them and they could feel them quickly gain a bit of an advantage. Before they knew it, three large hounds were barking furiously at them in front, as several others had locked their jaws on their legs, causing the man's grip on Anko to loosen, and dropped her within seconds. The dogs teeth sunk harder and harder into their flesh, with their blood oozing from the wounds like a leaking tap. Although they had managed to get the dogs off, they had been impaired. Realizing that they could not reclaim Anko once more, they sped off in two different directions and left the scene of action behind.

"ANKO!" Itachi screamed, as he raced towards her at full speed as she fell. Itachi dove down after her, and barely managed to break her fall. Kakashi surely was close behind, since his little friends had caught up, but he couldn't care less. Itachi's eyes were locked onto a lifeless Anko. "Please, don't die!"

The young Uchiha boy cradled her in his arms, with his welling up with crystal clear tears. "Please, don't go yet," he whispered. He closed his eyes and buried his face into her clothing, refusing to show his tears.

He laid her on the dirt ground, wishing that he knew some medical jutsu for once in his life. He pressed his ear against her chest and could hear a pulsing heartbeat. Itachi leaned in close to her face and could hear her breath ever so slightly. Rejoicing in the fact she was still alive, Itachi bent over even closer, and planted his lips onto hers, wishing he could one day feel the kiss returned.


	4. Borderline

**Crimson Eyes – Chapter 4: Borderline**

_Woot school is finally over and I can actually update again! Sorry its taken me... 3 months oO Sorry for the wait! But thank you for all the reviews I actually started an AnkoxItachi community on LiveJournal but no one has joined! TT I'm the only one there but you guys are interested, come join me at amai-akai-ai on livejournal (linkage at my profle) where we shall spread the AnkoxItachi love! Anyway, this is a pretty sappy chapter . So, beware for mushyness._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, or any of the characters in the manga and anime. Would it work if I disguised myself as Kishimoto though?  
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A few weeks had passed since their unsuccessful yet eventful mission with Anko having already recovered to her full strength and was restored to her usual energetic self within days. However, she did notice that Itachi had become somewhat less annoying – but he still got on her nerves nonetheless. The girl had started to see a softer side of the young boy as a crack in his mischievous and bratty exterior became apparent. This sparked Anko's interest and she began prying, trying to get him to reveal his feelings whenever he seemed to be lost in thought. Of course, the young boy didn't want to disclose his intimate feelings, which obviously almost always resulted with the two arguing. Despite that, they seemed to grow on each other. 

Also, another face seemed to appear quite more frequently in Anko's life, and that being the one which belonged to Hatake Kakashi. Although she had only been a patient in the hospital for a few days, the young teenage boy came to visit each day with a new bouquet of flowers in his arms every time he appeared by the doorway. He kept her company for most part, and did small favours for her such as buying magazines and her favourite dango which earned Anko's gratitude, in which she became fond of the Hatake boy.

It seemed that the mission which was only half completed had brought in two important figures into her life, unaware that both of them were competing for her attention and affection. But this would be the last worry to occupy her mind, for she had two more friends than she previously had which weren't many at all.

Kakashi would often invite her out for lunch or dinner, insisting that he would pay as it wasn't very gentlemanly like to allow a lady pay. It was the first time someone referred her as such, causing her cheeks to flush red like a petal of a rose.

With the new friends that entered her life, she regularly spent time with them and enjoying her youth for once. Anko trained daily with Itachi in the forest and would meet Kakashi later to go out for a meal to replenish her energy. She had become close enough to both to start calling them on a first name basis, which she felt was a large achievement, for it was proof in itself on how close she had become with both of them.

As she trained with Itachi in the forest one day, he had asked a strange question, but it also showed that he was tearing down his masquerade act and allowing himself to be more open with her.

"Anko, what am I to you?" the young boy asked quietly as they sat down, taking a break from their shuriken throwing practice. He didn't realize that the words had left his lips until moments later, when he had noticed that she was giving him a strange questioning look.

"Do you mean besides an annoyance?" she joked, giving a small laugh at the end. Anko had tried to mask her own uncertainty and nervousness, for she didn't even know the answer was. She spent regular hours with him everyday, and even though they bickered often, it never drove her away. She tried placing him in the role of a younger brother, but it didn't seem right.

"Just forget it!" Itachi spat, annoyed and irritated. Wondering why such an idiotic question ever escaped from him, he stood up and gathered his tools once again and started to throw them at the designated targets again.

"Itachi, you're a very important person to me."

Though the words were spoken in no more than a whisper, the Uchiha had caught them and halted from his training momentarily, then resumed almost immediately. Nothing more was said between the two for the rest of the session.

After their workout, they parted as usual and Anko headed towards her usual meeting spot with Kakashi, but it seemed that she didn't need to travel more than a few footsteps to meet him, for he was leaning against a tree gazing at her from the short distance. Without noticing his intense gaze, Anko rushed towards him surprised, but she was happy nonetheless.

Seeing her so enthusiastic to see him, Kakashi smiled beneath his mask which caused his eyes to grow smaller. Anko had always wondered what he looked like when he smiled without the mask, as well as the reason hiding behind it everyday. With those thoughts in mind, she thought that she might as well as ask him.

"What does your face look like under that mask?"

"What a wonderful way to greet a friend Anko," Kakashi joked as he stood up straight, allowing Anko to lean on the tree instead.

"No seriously, what does your face look like? Why do you have to hide your face from the world everyday?" she questioned him as her eyebrow cocked in curiosity.

"Why I cannot say. However, do you really want to know?" His voice was teasing and slightly mischievous as usual when he talked to her. Anko had little experience with the opposite sex in terms of communication so she never thought much of it.

"Of course I want to know! Though, I'm probably one of the few hundred in this village who are curious..." She trailed off as she noticed Kakashi leaning in closer.

"Well, maybe I'll let you find out." His voice was soft yet seductive. The Hatake boy pulled down his mask and leaned in closer to her lips. But, before their lips could come into contact, they felt an object pass between them which caused them to jump back, resulting in Anko hitting her head against the tree trunk. She fell to her knees clutching her head with Kakashi hurrying to her side in an instant. The tree behind them had a small shuriken which was deeply sunken into the trunk, causing the sap to ooze out slowly. Though they could not see anyone in plain sight, a young Uchiha boy hid up in the trees above with his eyes full of tears and anger.

This was the point where it became clearer then ever that Uchiha Itachi had competition over her affection.

At night, the same vision haunted him. What plagued him though was that Anko didn't fly kick him away as she usually would if any other guy tried that on her. Could it be that she felt something for Hatake Kakashi? If she did, then Itachi was at a total loss.

Itachi was six years younger than her, while Kakashi was two years her senior. Most girls like to go for older guys didn't they? So, going by that theory, Kakashi had one point over him. Also, Itachi was only a mere Chuunin compared to the Hatake who already made Jounin therefore another point that went towards the silver-haired womanizer.

That was the other thing that was killing him – the thought that Kakashi was only playing Anko. If that bastard hurt her, he could have sworn that he would kill Kakashi with his own hands.

Either way, he had to find a way to defeat Hatake Kakashi. Whatever it meant, he would do it, especially if it meant that it would win Anko's affections.

He would make sure that Mitarashi Anko would never forget him. Ever.

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_Not my best chappie... I think it went a bit quick o Bah! My creative juices are at a low. Sorry  
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	5. Jealousy

**Crimson Eyes – Chapter 5: Jealousy**

_It makes me all fuzzy and warm inside to know people are still reading and keeping up with this fic D Also, a big thank you for everyone who continues to review me! (o) Sorry for the long wait in-between updates! I'm not a very consistent writer am I? Lol XD Hope you enjoy this chapter and don't worry, I'm not going to drop this fic until it finishes!_

_Anyway, this chapter is more about the insight of Itachi and Anko's thoughts, so progression might be a bit slow but bear with me please xD; Hope you enjoy!_

**EDIT:**_ I reuploaded the chapter as there was a mistake in the dialoouge which was politely pointed out to me by LadyMononoke756. Thanks for that! It seems my beta-buddy and I both missed that!  
_

**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own the characters yadayadayada Though, Masashi Kishimoto stole my 'Hebi' concept D: LOL  
_

* * *

Anko found it amazing how a mood could change within moments. Her heart was still pounding from the kiss attempt of Kakashi which was interrupted by the sudden attack from a shuriken. The flying piece of metal seemed to have come of nowhere with impeccable timing – if it reached them a second later, Kakashi's beautiful face would have been scarred. 

That's when she realized that Kakashi still had his mask pulled down, fully revealing the angelic face which he kept concealed from the world for unknown reasons. Anko could not help but stare in awe at his gorgeous face, which by now was starting to go slightly red from the attention of the young girl. They no longer sensed another presence watching them and the continued to stand in the middle of the forest in silence.

Just as the young apprentice of the Snake Sannin was about to walk away, Kakashi grabbed her by them arm and pulled her back. "Don't go," he said in a soft whisper, striking a chord in Anko's heart with the low toned voice. Slowly, she turned around to face him once again with her eyes watering. She didn't understand why the hell she was about to cry but it didn't matter, not to Kakashi anyway. It gave him an excuse to pull her into his arms into a warm embrace.

It felt so nice to be held lovingly. It was a feeling that seemed so foreign but welcome nonetheless. However, Kakashi released his grip and took a small step back so her could see her face. Cupping her chin with one hand, he brought his face closer to hers. "No more interruptions this time," he said a husky whisper before meeting her lips.

A feeling of sudden warmth spread through Anko as she was unaware on how to reply to the gesture. As he pulled away, he put his finger to her lips as if to silence her and spoke first.

"Anko, I just wanted to make it clear to you that I really like you."

Still half in shock, Anko forced her mind to recover and retorted. "I guess you can't make it any more clearer than you just did."

"Look, I know this may be something new to you, but you don't have to answer to my feelings right now." His face looked so thoughtful, giving him the soft appearance of an angel even more. "I just wanted you to know. But, I will say one more thing." He started to pull his mask back up on his face.

"What?"

"Im going to do my best to make you fall in love with me."

With that said, he gave Anko a quick kiss on the forehead behind his mask and walked off, leaving the young girl in a daze.

* * *

"That bastard thinks that he's just so good because he's a freaking JOUNIN!" Itachi rampaged in his own secluded training area. Though he had interrupted Kakashi's attempt the first time, he stayed and watched through the whole entire scene as the lips met a pair other than his. Though he had kissed her before, she was unconscious so he wondered if that would even count? She would certainly not remember and the kiss from Kakashi was probably registered in her brain as his first. 

"AHHH YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" The anger of the young Uchiha boy did not settle down at all. Rather, it continued to rise with with throw of kunai and shuriken. His mind was completely occupied by her – the last person in the world that he thought that catch the affections of the genius boy Uchiha Itachi. She was rude, stubborn and not afraid to stand up for herself, which is precisely why she had captured his heart. Most girls he came across fawned over him and would do anything for him. Anko was quite the opposite. If she didn't like something about Itachi, she would say it. Hell, she would even try to beat it into him until she had her point across, but she usually ended up losing which aggravated her further. Why? She still only saw Itachi as a child.

_I'm not your average kid though! I wish she didn't see me as a child. WHY WON'T SHE ACKNOWLEDGE ME AS A MAN?!_

His thoughts continued to run in circles, not really getting him anywhere. It pushed him to train harder, though he was so emotional that he seemed to be missing his targets by a few centimeters.

_If I were to become more powerful than that freak-of-a-sensei of hers, would she recognize me then?_

Just as he was about to haul another shuriken towards his target, he stopped in mid-motion and pulled himself back to mull over the thought that just popped into his head a little more.

_Orochimaru, the man she has the most respect for in her life. If I were to surpass him, would that undying trust, respect and devotion be transferred to me?_

It certainly was a comforting thought for the young Uchiha boy. It gave him a goal and a purpose, and something to focus on other than that good-for-nothing silver-haired womanizing scoundrel. His new-found burning passion of hate for Hatake Kakashi was born today, and he swore to himself silently that he would carry out his revenge on him, someday.

However, for now, he was focused on winning the attention and affection of Mitarashi Anko. He would accept no other girl but her.

* * *

The sun was setting, sending an orange glow through the window of Mitarashi Anko's apartment. She had managed to find her way home after the events which occurred which followed her training session for the day. 

The confession of Hatake Kakashi was quite straightforward and to the point, which made her wonder what about her interested the mysteriously sexy male. Anko remembered her first impression on the guy, and even now she found him attractive, especially after seeing what his face was beneath the mask. She began to understand why he kept his face from the world – one glance was enough to put her in somewhat of a trance!

Confused, the apprentice of the Snake Sannin had no idea what to do. It wasn't like Orochimaru had ever taught her about love or the sorts, though there were a few times she could have sworn that he tried to make a move on her. Even so, there was a no way she would go for him. Orichimaru was her sensei! It was completely out of the question, not to mention the age gap between them.

Anko flopped onto her bed and buried her face in her favourite pillow. She wished that everything was just a dream and that she would wake up any moment now and realize it was all nothing but an illusion. So, she opened up her eyes, only to be faced with the same orange glow in her room, which was starting to fade into darkness.

It was not until later on she had remembered Itachi's question which he had asked earlier on.

"_**Anko, what am I to you?" The boy asked softly, with a hint of nervousness in his voice.**_

"_**Do you mean besides an annoyance?" She joked in reply.**_

"_**Just forget it!"**_

"_**Itachi, you're a very important person to me."**_

_He is important to me, but in what way? It feels wrong to picture him like a brother, but what else could it be? Why can't someone just tell me the answer to all my problems?_

Not wanting to face the world anymore, Anko slipped beneath her quilts and pulled the covers over her head, wanting to escape. She would have gladly slept away until the next morning, if her stomach had not complained.

"I guess I'll just head to Ichiraku tonight. I'm too lazy to cook..." she mumbled to herself as she grabbed her coat on her way out the door.

* * *

Kakashi wasn't sure what he felt like eating tonight, but the night was a little bit chilly and it was probably best to go for something warm. The Ichiraku ramen stand was close by and a certain somebody had just walked into the stand. Without further ado, he followed them into the stand.

* * *

Itachi's mother was out on a mission with his father, which was a very rare and strange occasion. He did not even know that his mother was still registered as a shinobi! Or that she was even one in the first place. However, his main concern was getting himself some dinner, as well as his little brother. Sasuke wasn't a fan for sweet things, which made the situation easier for him. He carried his little brother on his shoulders as they searched for a place to eat. 

As they came closer to a familiar ramen stand, he saw Anko walk in, followed by Hatake Kakashi. Without any second thoughts, he walked in as well.

"Sasuke, we're going to have ramen tonight, alright?" He gave him no choice in the subject matter, not that it would matter anyway. Sasuke always seemed to comply with his decisions.

"Ooooh ramen! Ok nii-chan! I don't mind!" Sasuke said in his usually chipper chibi voice.

_I have to make sure that Kakashi doesn't pull anymore moves on her... he can't have what doesn't belong to him._


	6. Competition

**Crimson Eyes – Chapter 6: Competition**

_**Author's note: **Here you go! A quicker update! Although I must admit it is in compensation for the future as I will be studying for my upcoming exams which will be in a month from now, as well as the fact I still have many assignments due. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thank you for keeping up with this fanfic! All your support really means a lot to me, giving me inspiration to continue writing! 3 I'll do one of those review reply pages one day!_

_And a special THANK YOU to Kchan for beta-ing this chappie, along with my other chappies LOVE YOU BIG MUCH!  
_

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kakashi, Anko, Itachi or Sasuke and are creations of Masashi Kishimoto yadayadayada_

* * *

"Fancy seeing you here," a voice said to the left hand side of Anko. She turned, and to her dismay, it was the Hatake boy. He was the last person that she wanted to see that night – he already had given her a great deal to sort out within her own mind. She didn't need him confusing her thoughts any further, regardless of his sex appeal. He was interesting, partly due to his mask, regardless of the fact that she knew he looked like under neath it now. It still made her think as if he was trying to hide away something about his past. Not to mention, he always had one eye covered. Anko didn't know why she didn't notice earlier. With this, the air of mystery around him seemed to thicken. 

Before she could reply, she heard another familiar voice accompanied by a squeaky child-like voice. Unable to resist temptation of turning around to see who else she had bumped into that night, her eyes fell on Itachi and a young child who resembled him quite a bit.

"Nii-chan, can I have chicken ramen please?" the child's voice piped up. Anko couldn't help but smile – she wasn't really a child-lover, but something about this boy was indescribably cute.

"What if I say no?" Itachi replied teasingly to his younger brother. From the moment he walked in, he knew that both Kakashi and Anko were within. He had a little plan to steal the attention, which involved Sasuke, and it seemed to be working thus far.

"But nii-chan, I really really _really_ want chicken ramen!" Sasuke wailed, his eyes starting to look teary. Itachi laughed and picked him up to place Sasuke on the stool to the right of Anko then looked up and greeted her with a warm smile, ignoring Kakashi in the background. He took a seat next to his little brother and ordered for them.

"Two chicken ramen bowl's please." Itachi said to the chef, before turning his head to give Sasuke a small wink.

"YAAAAY! Thank you nii-chan!" young Sasuke chirped and attempted to give his older brother a glomp but he almost fell off his stool. Anko gave a giggle and caught him before Sasuke fell onto the ground. She placed him back on the stool so he could sit properly and moved the stool a bit closer to the stand tabletop so he would be able to reach his food later. "Thank you nee-chan!" Sasuke said is adorable voice accompanied with a large beaming smile.

"That's ok little one. You're much cuter and nicer than when I first met your brother." She ruffled his hair in a playful manner and stuck her tongue out at Itachi.

"EHHH? You know my nii-chan?" he questioned, looking back and forth at the two. It wasn't often that Sasuke got to meet many of Itachi's friends. He only knew the ones inside the Uchiha clan, and sometimes they would come over and play with him when Itachi was out on a mission because apparently his older brother requested that they take care of him while he was gone. It made him happy to know that Itachi did care, despite his attitude towards him majority of the time.

Itachi nodded and introduced his brother and Anko to each other. Sasuke held out his small hand for a handshake, which she gently shook. It was apparent that they were siblings for they shared similar facial features, especially their dark round eyes. Sasuke's eyes seemed happy and playful while she often found Itachi's to be quite deep, almost as if his potential ran as deep as his glare.

Anko informed the younger Uchiha boy about their first meeting. "You know, your brother was actually quite rude to me. He ran into me and everything! There wasn't even an apology!"

"Nii-chan! That's not very nice!" Sasuke attempted to tell him off. "How could you be so rude to such a nice and pretty lady?"

"Your brother has much more manners and obviously better eyesight than you Itachi," Anko stated, pleased with the child's comment.

Itachi's face was going red from trying not to snort from laughing, but it happened anyway. "Nice? Pretty? HAHAHA!" Itachi laughed loudly. Though, he wouldn't have admitted it when he first met Anko, he did find her attractive. She wasn't obsessed with her own appearance like a lot of other girls he knew, but she did take care of herself. She had a radiant natural beauty which he felt drawn to.

"Nii-chan, what's so funny?"

"Oh shut up Itachi, you know its true. You just don't want to admit it!" Anko actually hoped what she said was true. Although she never really cared about what other people thought of her before, for some strange reason, she felt that Itachi's approval was very important. She wanted him to see her as an attractive girl, and not just another face.

"I must agree with the youngun. I think Anko is a very attractive and beautiful woman." Kakashi said, joining into the conversation. He felt like he was being pushed out of the scene for the past five to ten minutes. Even Anko seemed to forget that he was right there, next to her which he didn't like at all. He wanted her to be aware of his presence at all times. Kakashi wanted Anko to only focus her attentions on him. It was his possessive side starting to surface.

Both Anko and Itachi fell silent for a while. Anko did not feel like facing the reality of what happened earlier and neither did Itachi, though neither of the other two actually knew that he has witnessed the whole scenario. Luckily, they were saved by the ramen, as it was promptly put in front of them, ready to eat.

"YAY CHICKEN RAMEN!" Sasuke exclaimed loudly. He split his chopstick and cried, "ITADAKIMASU!" Everyone at the Ichiraku stand laughed heartily at the boys enthusiasm for ramen – it made the chef and his assistant quite happy. They were so happy that they announced that Sasuke's ramen was on the house, which resulted in an even happier Sasuke.

Anko couldn't help but smile as she watched Sasuke chow down his food, and also came to wonder if Itachi was just like his brother when he was younger. It certainly would have been quite a cute scene to see. It was also very apparent to her that Itachi did care for his brother quite a bit. He often spoke of the boy while they trained and told her stories about him. It made Anko happy that Itachi was to comfortable to tell her about his family life, but also wondered at the same time if he pitied her for not having one of her own. She doubted it though – Itachi wasn't the type to pity others.

"Anko, your ramen is going to get cold if you don't start eating soon," Kakashi spoke up next to her. Her ramen had been in front of her for five minutes now, but she was too busy watching the Uchiha siblings.

"Oh right," she replied simply and started eating her own meal. Kakashi seemed to have finished his already, which surprised her a great deal. _That guy sure does eat fast,_ she said to herself. While she ate, she could feel his gaze on her, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable. Although he had finished his food, it did not seem that he had any intentions on going home.

Itachi also had noticed this. There wasn't anything else more that he wanted than for the silver-haired shinobi to take his leave and leave the three of them alone. He already had done his best for Anko for ignore him and possibly forget about him being there, which he though seemed to work quite well according to his plan. However, it seemed that Hatake Kakashi did not get the message that he wasn't wanted, or, perhaps he was being stubborn. He had to find a way to get rid of him so he could have some time with Anko. Having his brother around was better than the prodigy 'jounin'. That guy had no idea what a real prodigy was in Itachi's opinion. _One day, _Itachi thought to himself, _I will have a battle with him and show who is superior._

"Kakashi-san, I heard you're leaving on a mission tomorrow," Itachi said just after swallowing a bite of chicken meat. He would have his way tonight. Uchiha Itachi would not let himself be beaten by Hatake Kakashi. Not now, not ever.

"Yes, that's right. How did you know?" Kakashi questioned. He knew where this would lead to, but he couldn't leave without a bit of protest.

"Oh, Shisui told me. You'll be working with him right?" Right after the little event which took place in the forest today, after he managed to calm down with his training, he ran to Shisui's house to talk to him about his troubles. He trusted him fully and always knew when there was something wrong with Itachi. When he arrived at Shisui's household, Itachi found him in his room packing. It turned out Shisui had been put in a group with Hatake Kakashi for a mission the following day. Itachi managed to get a few details about it off him but nothing in-depth except that it was a B-Rank mission. He knew enough to know when they were departing though, and that was what mattered to him the most.

"Eeeh, sorry, but I forgot to ask who you were old man," Sasuke spoke up with a mouth full of ramen. Itachi laughed at his little brother's comment and flicked him on the forehead for talking with his mouth full. Sasuke scrunched up his face and rubbed the now red spot on his head.

"Old man?" Kakashi asked in surprise. "What makes you think that I'm so old?"

Sasuke pointed above his face to his silvery-white hair. "You have the same hair colour as ojii-chan next door!"

Anko couldn't help but giggle. It was for certain that Kakashi did have a strange hair colour for such a young man, and it was even cuter that it was a mere child who pointed it out. Of course, no grown person would even think of bringing up that topic.

Kakashi gave a frown behind his mask but it did warm his heart to see Anko laughing, even if it was at him. It was a site that he rarely got to see for when they were together, she was usually cool and composed.

After Anko calmed down, she turned to face Kakashi. "If you're on a mission tomorrow, you really should head off soon. It's getting late." She pointed at a clock conveniently displayed in their view, which pointed that it was nearly eight o'clock.

The young jounin had no basis for argument and felt compelled to agree. He gave a small bow to Anko and the chef before he left, ruffled Sasuke's hair and gave a quick glance over to Itachi. _You win this round, brat, _he thought for himself before left Ichiraku and headed off home.

As the Hatake left, the older Uchiha sibling smirked to himself, knowing that he had won the round tonight. Now there was only one part of his plan left, and knowing his cute little brother, he would put the last piece in place unknowingly.

Just as they all finished their meal, Sasuke tugged on the sleeve of Anko's trench coat and looked at her with his large eyes. "Do you want to come over and play some games for a while? Pleeeeease?" the young boy asked pleadingly.

Anko looked over to Itachi who gave her a nod of assurance and a brief explanation. "Our parents are out on a mission, which is rare for us and they usually let us invite people over or to even stay the night if it gets too late." He could tell she was still giving the invitation some thought, and Itachi was hoping that Sasuke's face would be enough to convince her.

Luckily, it was.

She nodded and gave a smile as she accepted the invitation. Sasuke gave a shout of happiness while Itachi was more overjoyed than he appeared to be.

"Shall we go then?" Itachi asked, looking at the two.

Sasuke took Anko by the hand and and gave a big enthusiastic nod. She looked back at the child and couldn't help but smile. She usually didn't like kids and found them annoying, but she couldn't say no to this one.

"I guess we should then." She allowed herself to be dragged down the street by Sasuke, as they all headed towards the Uchiha District.


End file.
